Hose and hose connector construction



March 24,- 1942. A.. M. GRAHAM HOSE AND HOSE CONNECTOR CONSTRUCTION I I Filed'Jan. 15, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 /Nl /V7'OR 1405113527 M GRAHAM HAP/PIS, MEG/1; Fos rz/e & HARE/S FOR 7 FIRM Marchi24, 1942. A. M. GRAHAM 2,217,397

- HOSE AND HOSE CONNECTOR CONSTRUCTION I Filed Jan. 15, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 //v Ins/v70? AOELBERT M GRAHAM A rrc k/vcrs.

Patented Mar. 24, 1 942 nose AND nos'a CONNECTOR CONSTRUCTION Adelbert M. Graham, Beverly Hills, OaliL, assign. or to Walter G. L. Smith, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application January is, lMiLSerIal No. 313,915 3 Claims. (01.285-8) This invention relates to high pressure hose couplings and while it finds utility wherever hose and the couplings therefor are subjected to high internal fluid pressure, it is particularly adapted for use in the well drilling industry where couplings are used to connect a sectionof hose to the swivel of a rotary drilling apparatus and to the standpipe which leads to a slush pump, so that mud under heavy pressure often as high as ten thousand pounds per square inch may be supplied to the tools during the drilling operation.

In couplings of this character the end portion of the hose section is permanently secured to a primary metallic member to form one element of the coupling, and the other element comprises a secondary metallic member which is rigidly secured to the primary metallic member, usually by a ring of bolts or by screw threads, and is further provided with means for being secured to the swivel or standpipe. Dueto the great pressure of the mud fluid, it is very difficult to provide satisfactory Joints between the hose and primary metallic member. In one of the usual constructions for joints of this character the primary metallic member comprises a sleeve which is inserted into the end of the hose, and clamps placed around the hose so as to force the hose material into intimate contact with roughened projections on the sleeve.

There are several disadvantages of this type of joint. The hose is circumferentially stretched and weakened bythe sleeve. Fluid may be forced through the joint formed between the hose and the outer surface of the sleeve, weakening the, hose and eventually causing leakage between the mating surfaces of the two metallic elements. The hose is also weakened and often ruptured at a point adjacent the inner end of the sleeve, remote from the other metallic element, by the bending moment applied to the hose at this point. There is also danger of the hose becoming separated from the sleeve as the hose shrinks during use.

According to this invention a sleeve is used as one of the metallic members of the coupling and at the inner end of this sleeve the radially inner andradially outer portions of the hose wall are divided into two layers or piles and lead along the bore and outside surfaces of the sleeve respectively, the inner ply terminating in an .annular chamber between the two metallic members where it is brought into a fiuid tight seal with these members by pressure of the fluid in the hose to prevent leakage either along the bore surface of the sleeve'or between the two metallic members, and the outer ply being secured to the outside surface of the sleeve in a manner to carrythe; tensile stresses between the coupling and the hose, and to securely anchor the hose on the sleeve.

It is accordingly an object of this invention to provide a coupling which will not leak, and

which will not separate longitudinally. It is a further object of this invention to provide a coupling which will protect the hose against the destructive action of bending moments at the in ner end of the coupling.

Other features and objects of my invention will be evidenced in the and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig; 1 is a partially sectional longitudinal view of a coupling embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view 01' the coupling sleeve taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a partially sectioned longitudinal view of a modified form of coupling also embodying my invention.

Fig. 4 is a partially sectioned longitudinal view of still another form of coupling embodying my invention.

Fig. 5 is a section of hose provided at each end with a coupling, the hose and hose couplings Zeing constructed in accordance with my inven- Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view of the hose taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, similar to Figs. 1 and 4, showing another form of the invention.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a hose II is secured permanently to a sleeve l2, constituting the first or primary metallic member of the coupling, which member is removably secured to a secondary metallic' member l3, adapted to be connected to a swivel of other kinds may be used.

The hose shown in the drawings comprises an inner rubber tube It, a plurality of layers of following description ably,

fabric l contiguously enveloping the tube 4, next a layer of rubber IS, in which are embedded a radially inner layer of spirally wound twisted wire cables l1 and a radially outer layer of spirally wound twisted wire cables I3 and then an outside covering layer I! of fabric. As shown in the drawings the inner cables l1 are wound in an upward right-hand spiral manner and the outer cables I! are wound in an upward lefthand spiral manner as shown in Fig. 1. Preferably these cables are formed of single wire strands which are wound within the cable in a twist of the opposite hand to that in which the cable. as a whole is wound within the hose. Also, Preferthe cables are separated from each other and the fabric layers by intervening rubber material.

The primary element of the coupling comprises the primary metallic member or sleeve l2 and the end of the hose II, which are secured together in a novel and effective fashion. The hose is divided at 20 into an inner ply 2| and an outer ply 22. The inner ply 2| comprises the layers I4 and I5 and the outer ply 22 comprises the layers l6 and I3 with the embedded cables I! and I3. The inner ply 2| is placed in contact with an inner bore surface 23 of the sleeve l2 and the outer ply is placed in contact with an outside surface 24 of the sleeve l2.

The sleeve I2 is formed at its longitudinally outer end (the upper end in Fig. 1) with an annular flange 25 having bolt holes 26 registering with bolt holes 21 in an annular flange'23 formed on the secondary metallic member I3. Bolts 23 and nuts 30 serve to secure together the sleeve l2 and member l3. The outside surface 24 of the body portion of the sleeve l2, which extends coupling structure of my invention, the cable strands l1 may all be portions of one continuous cable length, providing great strength in the cable to resist both longitudinal and bursting stresses. Cable strands l8 are similarly wound about the lugs 4|. After the cable strands l1 and I8 are placed in position on the sleeve, rubber in proper quantity is applied between and upon the cable strands and the fabric cover I9 is wound or otherwise applied to the structure, which is then vulcanized.

The inner ply 2| of the hose is bent at its outer end around the outer end of the sleeve. The end of the sleeve is formed with two annular end faces 42 and 43 longitudinally ofiset from each other. The bolt holes 26 pass through the flange and end face 42. The end face 43 is formed with an annular recess or groove 44 of arcuate cross section. The secondary member l3 has a bore diameter equal to the bore diameter of the hose Its end which faces the primary member or sleeve I2 is also formed with two annular toward the hose and lies between outer and inner hose plies 2| and 22, is divided into a longitudinally outer portion 3| adjacent the flange 25, a longitudinally intermediate portion 32 of lesser diameter, and a longitudinally innermost conical portion 33. The bore surface 23 of the sleeve I2 is divided into a longitudinally outer portion 34 which'extends the full length of the flange 25 and of the surfaces 3| and 32, and a longitudinally inner portion 35 of slightly larger diameter which is substantially co-extensive with the conical surface 33,'the body of the sleeve between the surfaces 33 and 35 at its extreme inner end having the form of a tapered thin walled shell. Seated within the larger bore surface 35 and extending from its outer end 35 to a point 31 which is well beyond the inner end 33 of the sleeve is a thin cylindrical shell 33 formed of one or more layers of spirally wound'wire, with a bore diameter the same as that of the bore 34. This shell 39 acts as a stiffener resisting bending stresses which tend to break down and rupture the hose at the end 38 of the sleeve.

The surface 32 is provided with two annular rows of diagonally placed elongated lugs 40, the lugs of one row being staggered longitudinally of the sleeve with respect to the lugs of the other row. Similarly, lugs 4| are provided on the surface 3|, where they are disposed in two annular rows, these lugs being diagonally inclined with respect to the coupling axis in a direction opposite to that of the inclination of the lugs 45. Adjacent cable lengths I! in pairs as Na and MD, are portions of one continuous integral cable length which is wound about one of the lugs 40, each of which is grooved at its outer end at 40a to receive the turn of the cable. If the other end of the hose is provided also with a end faces and 46, providing between them a cylindrical bore face 41 of greater length than the cylindrical face 48 between the end faces 42 and 43' of the sleeve l2, whereby an annular chamber 43 is formed between the faces 43, 41 and 46.

The outer bent end 55 of the inner ply 2| of the hose constitutes a flange or ring which is seated in this chamber 49. It is molded and vulcanized on the sleeve I2 to a form presenting the crosssectional contour shown in Fig. 1 before the member I3 is placed in position. The mold form used is of the same shape as the member l3 as to faces 45 and 41, except that it has an annular flange of triangular cross section for making an annular recess or groove of triangular cross section in the rubber tube portion 14 of the hose.

40 In the molding operation, rubber material is added to the rubber tube H in sufficient quantity to flll out the corners ofthe chamber 49, as at 5| and 52.

After the outer end of the hose ply 2| is molded to the form shown in Fig, 1, the member I3 is placed in position and the nuts 30 are turned to draw the end with the end face 42 of the sleeve l2. The hose material is not clamped between the members l2 and I3 under longitudinal compression. That portion of the fabric layer l5 which lies within the groove 44, keys the hose against accidental radial displacement when the members l2 and [3 are disassembled.

In use, the fluid within the hose finds its way into the recess 50 and applies. to the walls of this recess the fluid pressure existing within the hose. Pressure applied to the radially outer wall 53 of the recess 50 forces the rubber material at 52 tightly against the surface 41, effectively preventing any leakage along the surface 41 to the joint between the faces 42 and 45, or the joint between the hose ply 2| and bore face 23 of the sleeve l2. The member I3 is threaded at 54 to provide for its attachment to a swivel or standpipe fixture as the case may be.

While it is preferable to provide the recess 50. such a recess is not necessary to an embodiment of this invention. If the recess is omitted, fluid face 45 of member I3 into contact Fig. 3 shows a coupling embodying this invention in modified form. The hose is made up of elements I4 to Is like those shown in Fig. l.

The inner ply 2| of the hose is separated from the outer ply 22, the former being placed in conand the latter being placed in contact with the outside surface 24' of the sleeve I211. The cable strands I1 and I8 are secured to the sleeve lugs 40' and II in the same manner as shown in Fig. 1. The outer end portion 60 of the sleeve eters, i. e., 62, 68, 84, 65, and 86. Sections 62, 68,

and 64, beginning at the end face 61 of the sleeve are of progressively smaller diameter and provide annular shoulders 68 and 68. The diameter of section 85 is greater than that of the adjoining sections 64 and 66, providing'an annular recess 18. Section 66 is connected to the bore surface 23' of the inner end portion of the sleeve I2a by an inwardly tapering bore section II; a

The longitudinally outer portion of section 82 is threaded at 12. A fitting I3a, constituting the secondary coupling member, is correspondingly threaded and when screwed into position as shown in the drawings is mechanically secured in a manner to effect a fluid-tight joint with the sleeve I 2a. 'I'heinner portion 13 of the member |3a is of a smaller diameter than the threaded tact with the bore surface 28' of a sleeve I21: I

hose ply 2| is interlocked with'the end portion 80 of the sleeve |2a by its engagement with the recess 10 in a manner to prevent longitudinal displacement of the hose within the sleeve by mechanical pressure or by fluid pressure exerted on the faces 18 and I8.

In this modified form of the invention, leakage is prevented longitudinally inwardly along the bore face 23' as above explained, and longitudinally outwardly between the sleeve .and member I3a by means of the threaded joint at". The inner hose ply 2 I is securely clamped between the sleeve andmember Ila and locked against longitudinal movement by its engagement with the recess I8, and the outer hose ply 22 is securely attached to the sleeve in the manner already described in connection with the form of the invention shown in Fig. l.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 4, the bore 23" of a sleeve |2b has a slight taper, preferably of of an inch to each inch of its length, the diameter of the bore increasing from the outer to the inner end of the sleeve. The bore of the hose ply 2|" is constant in diameter and is the same as that of thehose at points beyond the inner end of the coupling, as at point 8|.v The ply 2|" is built up on its outer surface to snugly fit the tapered bore- 23" of the sleeve I 2!) between the outer end 84 of the sleeve |2b and the point 8| in a manner to be presently described. With the. exception of the tapered bore of the sleeve I2b and the correspondingly built up ply 2 I", the coupling shown in Fig. 4 is identical with that shown in Fig. 1.

outer end thereof, and forms with the several sections of the bore face of the sleeve an annular chamber I4 with a cross sectional contour as shown in the drawings. The inner end portion 16 of the member I3a i's tapered centrally to meet the bore face '15 of the member |3a at the extreme inner end of that member.

In fabricating the coupling, the inner ply portion 2| of the hose is cut off at the inner end i of the recess I0, is expanded somewhat at 11, and pressed against the inside of the sleeve In by the insertion of a mold form shaped like the inner end portion of the member |3a.. Prior to positioning the mold form, rubber material is added to the inner end of the ply 2| in sufficient quantity so that when the mold form is placed in position, the rubber material will fill sembled coupling extend from the surfaces 63 and the chamber H from the end of the ply 2| to two annular end faces 18 and 19, which in the as- 13 respectively, and form where they meet an angle of approximately 90 degrees with each other. The angular end faces 18 and I9 are formed-by the use of a correspondingly shaped mold during the process of vulcanizing up n the sleeve |2a the outer end of the hose ply 2| and the rubber material added at the end thereof. When the sleeve and hose thus vulcanized together are assembled with the member l3a, an annular void 80 is presented between sleeve I20; and member I3a, extendin from the faces 18 and I9 to the threaded joint at 12.

When the coupling is in use and subjected internally to fluid pressure, some of the fluid under pressure passes along the joint between the hose and the surface 13 to the void 88. Pressure applied to the face l8'seals the joint between the rubber of the hose and the surfaces 63 and 69,'preventing leakage along the bore surface 23' of the sleeve Ho. The rubber tip of the The ply 2|" comprises, similarly to the ply 2| of the coupling shown in Fig. 1, an inner rubber tube'H" and a layer l5" consisting of a plurality of windings of fabric and contiguously enveloping the tube I4". The layer l5" of fabric windings is surrounded by asheath 82 consisting of spirally wound wire and extending from a point 83 at some distance from the outer end 84- of the sleeve |2b to a point 85 well beyond the inner end 88" of the sleeve. A' secondsheathti,

of spirally wound wire is disposed contiguouslyf upon the sheath 82 extending from a point 81 approximately midway between the points 83 and 38" to the point 85, at which the inner shqgt of spirally wound wire 82 also terminates. Ribbons of cotton fabric 88 or similar organic material are wound upon the fabric layer I 5" to ive a tapered exterior surface to ply 2|" between the points 84 and 88. Similarly. ribbons of fabric 89, 90, 9|, and 92 are used to build up the inner ply 2| so that its outside surface snugly fits the tapered bore23" of the sleeve I21), and-snugly fits the bore surface of the outer ply 22" b tween th oints 38" and 8|.

The sheaths 82 and 88 act as a stiffener re sisting bending stresses which tend to break d wn and rupture the hose at the end 38" f the sleev Bv the use of two such sheaths. the inner sheath extending along the sleeve bore well beyond the outer sheath. there is avoided a disadvantage inherent in the construction shown in Fig. 1. In the latter construction, if the ply 2| is subjected to severe longitudinal stresses sufficient to stretch and elongate it, the shell 39 of spirally wound wire is pulled inwardly by the ply 2| to which it is attached, pulling away from the shoulder of the sleeve I2 at 36 and leaving a gap into which the material of the fabric layer I! may be forced by fluid pressure within the hose. If the longitudinal stress which has. thus elongated the ply 2| is removed and the shell 39 moves backward toward its original position, the material of the fabric layer I5 is pinched and damaged. In the construction as shown in Fig. 4, the tapered fabric windings 88 and B9 of cotton or similar organic material, being a part of the hose ply II" move with the sheaths 82 and 88 along the tapered bore 23" and no gap is formed at the outer end of these sheaths when the hose is subjected to tensile stresses which tend to stretch and displace it longitudinally with respect to the bore of the coupling member i2b. It is obvious that such a desired result is obtainable only by providing the bore of the sleeve lib with a slight taper such as has been described above. a

when the hose and the sleeve iii) are being assembled, the tapered character of the bore23 and of the exterior surface of the ply 2!" makes it possible to effect a close fitting, tight contact between the ply 2|" and the bore of the sleeve l2b between the points 84 and 38".

Fig. 5 shows a section of hose 90 with a coupling 9| at one end and a coupling 92 at the other end, each of these couplings being constructed and secured to the respective ends of the hose section 90 in the manner which has been above described.

Fig. 6 shows the internal construction of the hose. the various layers, plies, and elements of the hose being numbered as in Fig. 1-.

The construction of the form of the invention shown in Fig. '7 is the same as that shown in Figs. 1 and 4, with the exception of the provision of a baille tongue 93 on the member I30. This baffle tongue has an upper face 94 perpendicular to the face 6c of the member lie, and an under face 95 forming an angle of approximately 30 with faces 94 of the baille tongue and "c of member lie. The upper face 84 of this battle tongue is in position to act as a baffle wall with respect to the stream of fluid entering the recess "c from a joint 96 between the member l3c and the hose end 550. The tip or meeting edge 91 of the upper face 84 and under face 95 of the tongue 93 is so disposed in the recess 50c that it is spaced from both faces of this recess. The meeting edge 98 of the under face 95 of the tongue 93 with the face 410 of the member lie is disposed at the tip of the tongue 520 formed on the hose end 550, the upper face Bio of the tongue 520 which is also the outermost wall of the recess 50c forming with the under face 95 of the bail'le or tongue 93 an angle of approximately It is apparent that when fluid pressure is first applied to the coupling the initial rush of fluid through the joint 96, which might otherwise force its way under the tongue 526. is diverted in a direction perpendicular to the passageway 86, passing around the tip 91 of the baflle tongue 93 and entering the space between that tongue and the outer face 53c of the recess where it acts to effectively and flrmly hold the flexible tip of the rubber tongue 52c tightly against the surface "0.

Many minor changes of construction can be made in the coupling without departing from the principles of my invention, which is deflned in the following claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a hose structure, the combination of a flexible hose having embedded therein a set of wire strands extending in 'a leftward spiral from 'end to end thereof to form a cylindrical reinforcing layer, and another set of wire. strands extending in a rightward spiral from end to end thereof to form a cylindrical reinforcing layer of a different diameter; a metallic coupling member at one end of the hose: and two sets of lugs formed on said member, the lugs of one set being inclined to the hose axis with respect to their longitudinal lines to correspond to the direction of wrap of one set of said wire strands, and the lugs of the other set being inclined to the hose axis with respect to their longitudinal lines to correspond to the direction of wrap of the other set of wire strands, the strands of each at being arranged in pairs, the two strands of each pair being joined by an integrally connected loop disposed about a corresponding one of said lugs.

2. In a fluid tight Joint structure, comprising a relatively incompressible first member,'and a compressible and flexible second member: a compressible and flexible tongue 0n said second member disposed to lie with its under face flat against a surface on said first member; means for conducting fluid under pressure to the upper face of said tongue to force said tongue against said surface on said flrst member; and a relatively inflexible baflle means carried by said first member interposed in said conducting means, said bafiie means overlying and being spaced from the upper face of said tongue.

3. In a hose coupling, the combination of t hollow cylindrical primary and secondary members formed with mating end thrust flat annular faces; means for clamping together said members in axial alignment with said faces in end thrust relationship, said members being formed on juxtaposed portions thereof with annular faces radially inside of said end thrust faces to provide, when held in said end thrust relationship, an inwardly opening annular chamber; and a flexible hose comprising an inner ply of rubber and an enveloping ply of fabric materialintegrally united therewith, said hose being disposed against the bore face of said primary member, and being expanded at its end to form an annular flange loosely seated in said chamber, the inner rubber ply of said flange being formed with an annular recess opening on a surface of said secondary member which fronts on said chamber, said recess being disposed to receive fluid under pressure from within said coupling by way of the joint between said flange and secondary member and said recess providing an annular flap on said flange adapted to be expanded by the pressure of said fluid within said recess to effect ary member fronting on said chamber.

ADELBERT M. GRAHAM. 

